How To Make an American Layer Cake

I recently happened upon a book that was lying around the abbey. The title was "How To Make an American Layer Cake." Now, this isn't the sort of thing we read around here, but one of the introductory paragraphs was quite interesting, here's the text:

"These days, cake making has become something of a dying art. Too many home cooks rely on boxed mixes, which are not much less work than a good from-scratch recipe, or cakes purchased at local stores. But nothing matches the joy and taste of a good homemade layer cake. It is an honest, forthright expression of the American kitchen, a delicious celebration of simple ingredients with universal appeal."

Not so long ago, I was speaking to a brother about the finer points of the Council of Chalcedon, and his remark to me was "If you’ve got the time to ponder these things, more power to you. I think most people have trouble just managing their lives with the daily demands of work, family, etc., let alone completing the daily devotionals." Now what else is there to do at the abbey but ponder "these things"? There's an argument to be made that not every layman needs to understand the distinctives of the pronouncements of Church Councils, but the brothers comments do point to a growing problem in Christendom that seems to be affecting, or should I say infecting, more and more people. People don't have time for God. I find that very, very strange, not to mention disturbing.

I do not see or understand how it is possible for creatures, made in the image of God, who are chiefly here to mirror and reflect God's holy character, can possibly do that without an ever increasing knowledge and awareness of that character. More and more, people are spending lots of time doing "things" or keeping themselves busy, and their devotion to God is like the cake mix from a box. The ingredients are inferior and they don't really save much time, but by taking short-cuts, they miss out on the rich, authentic experience with God.

Nothing matches the joy of spending time with our Lord. To have an honest, forthright expression of the devotion and love for God, a "delicious celebration of truths," is what we were created for. Throw out the "cake-mix" Christian mentality and spend the time to pursue the things of God. Your spiritual taste-buds will come alive like never before, and once you taste the sweetness of the true and living God, you'll never want to return to the "cake-mix" again.